The Fantasticks to Welcome a New Luisa April 6

By Andrew Gans
04 Apr 2007

Julie Craig
Julie Craig

Julie Craig, who has appeared in the City Center Encores! productions of The Apple Tree and Bye Bye Birdie, will join the cast of The Fantasticks revival April 6.

Craig succeeds Sara Jean Ford, who created the role for the revival at the Snapple Theatre Center. Ford will play her final performance April 5.

The cast also currently features Thomas Bruce (Henry), John Deyle (Hucklebee), Douglas Ullman, Jr. (Matt), Burke Moses (El Gallo), Robert R. Oliver (Mortimer), Martin Vidnovic (Bellomy) and Nick Spangler (the Mute). "American Idol" finalist Anthony Fedorov will join the cast May 1 in the role of Matt.

Julie Craig has also been seen in The Pirates of Penzance and Iolanthe (NY Gilbert and Sullivan Players), and she played Maria in the international tour of West Side Story.

Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones' The Fantasticks, according to press notes, "tells the story of a young boy and girl who fall madly in love at the hands of their meddling fathers, but soon grow restless and stray from one another. Will their separation provide a deeper appreciation for the love they once shared or create a permanent gulf between them?" Song titles include "Try to Remember," "Much More" and "I Can See It."

The Fantasticks is the world's longest-running musical, having played a record-breaking run of more than 17,000 performances in Greenwich Village. The Fantasticks originally opened at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in May 1960 and closed Jan. 13, 2002. The original company included Wedding Singer star Rita Gardner and the late Jerry Orbach. Harvey Schmidt wrote the music, and Tom Jones penned the book and lyrics. Word Baker directed the original Off-Broadway company.

Tickets, priced $76, are available by calling (212) 307-4100 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

The Snapple Theater Center is located at 210 West 50th Street at Broadway.